Post by Kliquid on Jun 19, 2007 13:21:48 GMT -5
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana football coach Terry Hoeppner died Tuesday of complications from a brain tumor. He was 59.
Hoeppner, who had two brain surgeries in the past 18 months, spent the last four months on medical leave. He died at 6:50 a.m. at Bloomington Hospital with his family at his side, school spokesman J.D. Campbell said.
Officials at a team meeting informed players taking summer classes about their coach's death and those out of town were called. Receivers coach Billy Lynch, son of interim coach Bill Lynch, described the meeting as tearful.
"You just expect someone that's as tough and competitive as he is to, no matter the obstacle whether it's cancer or anything else, show up one day," said the younger Lynch, who coached with Hoeppner at Miami (Ohio) and followed him to Indiana after the 2004 season. "I was just laughing with the guys, telling them that Terry would probably tell us to suck it up, get going and defend 'The Rock' because that's who he was."
It was Hoeppner who added "The Rock" nickname to Memorial Stadium after moving a three-ton limestone boulder into the north end zone before his first season with the Hoosiers in 2005.
Lynch said he had not yet spoken with Hoeppner's wife, Jane, who had addressed the team Friday.
"I'm sure she'll rely strongly on her faith, which is, no pun intended, her rock," Lynch said.
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Damn...
Hoeppner, who had two brain surgeries in the past 18 months, spent the last four months on medical leave. He died at 6:50 a.m. at Bloomington Hospital with his family at his side, school spokesman J.D. Campbell said.
Officials at a team meeting informed players taking summer classes about their coach's death and those out of town were called. Receivers coach Billy Lynch, son of interim coach Bill Lynch, described the meeting as tearful.
"You just expect someone that's as tough and competitive as he is to, no matter the obstacle whether it's cancer or anything else, show up one day," said the younger Lynch, who coached with Hoeppner at Miami (Ohio) and followed him to Indiana after the 2004 season. "I was just laughing with the guys, telling them that Terry would probably tell us to suck it up, get going and defend 'The Rock' because that's who he was."
It was Hoeppner who added "The Rock" nickname to Memorial Stadium after moving a three-ton limestone boulder into the north end zone before his first season with the Hoosiers in 2005.
Lynch said he had not yet spoken with Hoeppner's wife, Jane, who had addressed the team Friday.
"I'm sure she'll rely strongly on her faith, which is, no pun intended, her rock," Lynch said.
Click for more
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Damn...
